WWW.1879ZULUWAR.COM

Film Zulu Dawn:General Lord Chelmsford: For a savage, as for a child, chastisement is sometimes a kindness. Sir Henry Bartle Frere: Let us hope, General, that this will be the final solution to the Zulu problem.
 
HomeHome  GalleryGallery  Latest imagesLatest images  SearchSearch  RegisterRegister  Log inLog in  
Latest topics
» Colonialism: A Moral Legacy
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyYesterday at 5:25 pm by Julian Whybra

» Punch's view of Chelmsford's tactics!
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyYesterday at 11:37 am by lydenburg

» Writing advice
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyTue Mar 26, 2024 2:26 pm by Julian Whybra

» Private John Scott 24th Regiment a fugitive at large
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Mar 20, 2024 12:53 pm by Dash

» Sergeant W E Warren RA - Veteran
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyTue Mar 19, 2024 9:32 pm by Matthew Turl

» Your favourite line from Zulu or Zulu Dawn
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyTue Mar 19, 2024 4:52 pm by Julian Whybra

» 100,000 posts!
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyTue Mar 19, 2024 2:20 pm by Julian Whybra

» Zulu Dawn/Zulu - New Immortals Film The Way Forward ?
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptySat Mar 16, 2024 2:34 pm by jgregory

» Badge on 2/60th and 3/60th foreign service helmets
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptySat Mar 16, 2024 11:05 am by John Young

» Corporal James Frowen Williams F Company.
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyFri Mar 15, 2024 9:08 am by Julian Whybra

» British rations and morale
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyMon Mar 11, 2024 11:05 pm by Julian Whybra

» Blue Plaque to James Egan, alias Private Hagan
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyMon Mar 11, 2024 9:16 pm by ADMIN

» A few questions regarding Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Mar 06, 2024 9:16 pm by Julian Whybra

» William J Hoare 24th Regiment??
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptySun Mar 03, 2024 7:08 pm by Dash

» Swinburn Carbine issue in AZW
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 12:53 pm by Rob D

» Australians who went to Zululand and fought in the 1879 war.
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 8:39 am by John Young

» Philip Price
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 7:55 am by Julian Whybra

» Alfred Fairlie Henderson
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 7:47 am by RoryReynolds

» August Hammar Letter Dated 6th Jan 1879
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 22, 2024 8:34 pm by Stefaan

» Bearing The Cross by Ken Blakeson | BBC RADIO DRAMA: Ken Blakeson's play tells the story of the Battle of Rorke's Drift and the effect it had on three of the soldiers who fought in it.
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Feb 21, 2024 10:57 am by Julian Whybra

» Letter of officer during Zulu wars.
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Feb 21, 2024 10:47 am by Julian Whybra

» About the second invasion
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyTue Feb 20, 2024 9:14 pm by 90th

» Zulu Festival Brecon July 2024
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptySat Feb 17, 2024 7:35 pm by John Young

» Watford band boys killed at iSandlwana
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyFri Feb 16, 2024 8:26 am by Julian Whybra

» Private J. McCrudden 1/13 Foot
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptySun Feb 11, 2024 3:10 am by 90th

» Death of Michael Jayson (Zulu Dawn)
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 08, 2024 9:55 pm by ADMIN

» The anniversary of 22nd January in 2024
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 08, 2024 3:51 pm by luke1997

» What was the distance?
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 08, 2024 8:46 am by Stefaan

» Mrs Henry Hook
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyTue Feb 06, 2024 3:14 pm by Kenny

» "With 6 good riflemen"
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyMon Feb 05, 2024 2:30 pm by Mr M. Cooper

» What was G company supposed to do?
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptySun Feb 04, 2024 9:31 pm by Julian Whybra

» Private 1445 Charles Meates 17th Lancers and his brother William Wylie
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyFri Feb 02, 2024 10:07 pm by John Young

» South Africa Medal With Clasp To Pvt J. Salter 3/60th
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyFri Feb 02, 2024 3:12 pm by Foody

» Weatherleys Border Horse Flag
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 01, 2024 9:40 pm by Herbie

» Edward Plantagenet Kemeys-Tynte
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyTue Jan 23, 2024 10:06 pm by Edjg

Search
 
 

Display results as :
 
Rechercher Advanced Search
March 2024
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
CalendarCalendar
Most active topics
Durnford was he capable.1
Durnford was he capable. 4
Durnford was he capable.5
Pte David Jenkins. 'Forgotten' Survivor of Rorke's Drift Returned to Official Records
Isandlwana, Last Stands
The ammunition question
Durnford was he capable. 3
Durnford was he capable.2
Pte David Jenkins. 'Forgotten' Survivor of Rorke's Drift Returned to Official Records
The missing five hours.
Most Viewed Topics
Please Do Not Post Ads on Our Forum
Google Chrome new standards imposed
Isandlwana, Last Stands
Pte David Jenkins. 'Forgotten' Survivor of Rorke's Drift Returned to Official Records
Recent Members To The ZULU WAR 1879 Discussion & Reference Forum ( A Small Victorian War in 1879)
The missing five hours.
ISANDLWANA SURVIVIORS
The ammunition question
Lieutenant Adendorff 1-3 N.N.C.
Pte David Jenkins. 'Forgotten' Survivor of Rorke's Drift Returned to Official Records
Top posting users this month
Julian Whybra
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
Dash
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
Hobbes
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
SRB1965
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
Bill8183
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
ADMIN
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
jgregory
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
John Young
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
Tim Needham
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
1879graves
A Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_leftA Letter from Bill Larcombe BarA Letter from Bill Larcombe Bar_right 
New topics
» Colonialism: A Moral Legacy
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyYesterday at 5:25 pm by Julian Whybra

» Punch's view of Chelmsford's tactics!
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyYesterday at 11:37 am by lydenburg

» Writing advice
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyTue Mar 19, 2024 8:57 pm by Hobbes

» 100,000 posts!
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptySun Mar 17, 2024 11:14 am by ADMIN

» Badge on 2/60th and 3/60th foreign service helmets
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyFri Mar 15, 2024 8:27 pm by Rob Herrick

» British rations and morale
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Mar 06, 2024 9:24 pm by Hobbes

» Alfred Fairlie Henderson
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 7:47 am by RoryReynolds

» Australians who went to Zululand and fought in the 1879 war.
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyFri Feb 23, 2024 2:23 am by peterfarrell

» About the second invasion
A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptySat Feb 17, 2024 9:53 pm by Hobbes

Similar topics
Zero tolerance to harassment and bullying.
Due to recent events on this forum, we have now imposed a zero tolerance to harassment and bullying. All reports will be treated seriously, and will lead to a permanent ban of both membership and IP address. Any member blatantly corresponding in a deliberate and provoking manner will be removed from the forum as quickly as possible after the event.  If any members are being harassed behind the scenes PM facility by any member/s here at 1879zuluwar.com please do not hesitate to forward the offending text.  We are all here to communicate and enjoy the various discussions and information on the Anglo Zulu War of 1879. Opinions will vary, you will agree and disagree with one another, we will have debates, and so it goes. There is no excuse for harassment or bullying of anyone by another person on this site. The above applies to the main frame areas of the forum. The ring which is the last section on the forum, is available to those members who wish to partake in slagging matches. That section cannot be viewed by guests and only viewed by members that wish to do so. 
Fair Use Notice
Fair use notice. This website may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorised by the copyright owner. We are making such material and images are available in our efforts to advance the understanding of the “Anglo Zulu War of 1879. For educational & recreational purposes. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material, as provided for in UK copyright law. The information is purely for educational and research purposes only. No profit is made from any part of this website. If you hold the copyright on any material on the site, or material refers to you, and you would like it to be removed, please let us know and we will work with you to reach a resolution.
 

 A Letter from Bill Larcombe

Go down 
2 posters
AuthorMessage
David Learthart




Posts : 6
Join date : 2013-07-14
Age : 78
Location : Cardiff, Wales

A Letter from Bill Larcombe Empty
PostSubject: A Letter from Bill Larcombe   A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Aug 28, 2013 3:56 pm

A few years ago, my wife was nursing at Rookwood Hospital in Cardiff. I don't know how the subject came up, but one of her patients had had relatives involved in the Zulu Wars, so I loaned him my copy of Bancroft's Rourke's Drift through my wife. I never met Bill but he sent me a letter by hand, and I am going to copy this below in case it is of interest. I suspect that Bill may not have survived his illness, given that Rookwood at the time was a home to many paraplegic patients, and is due to be demolished in the next few years.
The letter is handwritten, six pages long, and is as follows. I hope that this is of interest.
"Dear David,
Thank you for the loan of your book.
Four of my family were in Zululand c.1879. My father's maternal grandfather, who as 963 David Lewis, was one of the defenders at Fort Revenge ( as his daughter, my grandmother, always referred to it, as he also did in his letters home ) or Rourke's Drift.
One of his half-brothers ' Clarke ' was in a different company and so was killed in action just up the road at Isandlwana, as was my mother's great-great-uncle ( from her mother's paternal side ) Griffiths V.C. along with his nephew.
Two others from my mother's maternal mother's side were also in Zululand c1881, but with the Welch Regiment. We have photos of them on the battlefield of Isandlwana.
They subsequently transferred to the Royal Engineers and both won DCMs in the Sudan with that Unit, one going on to win another ( colonial ) DCM in the Natal Rebellion c 1906, after both serving in the Boer War of 1899-1902. Both were killed in action in 1914, after putting their ages back to re-enlist with the 2nd Welch. Their nephew, who put his age forward to re-enlist, died at Rookwood Hospital in 1967.
David Lewis of Rourke's Drift was born in Swansea, though his father, a master mariner, was from Llandaff nr Cardiff. His wife to be was from Cardiff.
Both his father and his stepfather were lost at sea, he had to leave education, and to keep the family afloat, at various times, my paternal great grandfather and the Clarke Bros would often resort to ' pear-cropping'.
That is enlisting into the army usually under an alias, getting the bounty which was officially abolished in c 1881, but in practice went on in various guises until 1914, and then desert if possible before reaching their regiment, never mind being posted overseas.
However, this was not the case when he enlisted in the 24th. He was working as a policeman in Cardiff and his wife was carrying my gran. He had a dispute with a superior. This left the aforementioned laid out on the ground very much the worse for wear ( my great grandfather was a bare knuckle fighter, like his father before, and he fought under the name of 'Gay Jack' and himself on the run.
Cardiff being too hot for him and hearing that the 24th ( 2nd Warwickshire ) were soon to be re-christened ( 1881 ) South Wales Borderers. With this change in mind, a new depot was already being set up in Brecon.
Like the Foreign Legion, recruits could enlist no papers / ID ever asked for. This suited my great-grandfather for a number of reasons. One being he was already a deserter from 23rd Fusiliers ( Royal Welch ) and a veteran of the Ashantee Campaign, where he and Clarke won the DCM while as acting sergeants seconded to the West Indian Regiment.
The DCM is named to the 23rd Fusiliers, but he appears on the West Indian Regiment Roll.
My sources for the above are 25 letters he sent home from the period ( he did not get back to Cardiff until c 1884 ), medals, photos, various documents, and the oral tract given to me by his daughter, my paternal gran, until she died in 1968 when I was 14.
Among the documents were a number of 'Protecting Certificates' granted by the Queen as pardons during one of her Jubilees ( 50th? ). They have my great grandfather's alias, as well as his real name on each.
In point of fact, the only unit I could trace that he enlisted into in his real name was the First Glamorgan Yeomanry contingent to go to South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902.
He survived his ' year and one day ', the Clarke half brother ( brother to Alfie Clarke killed in action at Isandhlwana ) died of fever, or so my great grandfather heard, as he was not with him at ' base camp '.
My great grandfather subsequently went on to serve in a colonial unit until the end of that war.
However, his story does not end there. He was reported dead in ' Ankoken ', West Africa, on Wednesday July 18th 1906.
I have never been able to trace a place called Ankoken. Though a merchant seaman from Barbados told me ' his folks had come from that place, and it was in Sierra Leone '.
In fact my great grandfather served with the Grenadier Guards and was medically discharged in the Autumn of 1914. But he re-enlisted in the Welsh Home in 1914. They were also known as the South Wales Lancers but ended up as part of a service battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and also saw action in Egypt, the Holyland, and the Western Front. This is where his story ends.
Thank you again for the loan of your book. Among the photographs given to me by my gran are the one on pp99. My great grandfather is sitting at the extreme right / front, directly behind the bearded bloke with the mascot ( 'Pip' ).
He is also in the photo on p110. We have a better print of this. We were told it was taken before the stand at Fort Revenge, the above after.
I have also one of B Coy, 24th Ft. taken at Fort Revenge when they formed-up, to see the column off. In this they wear their helmets and equipment, and are at attention.
My great grandfather recovered this ( the plate ) off of the battlefield at Isandhlwana, sometime after the defeat. One of the officers' hobby was photography, he writes home, and he has had a print made. He also writes " this was the last time I saw Africa ".
All the very best,
Bill Larcombe

P.S.
One of my great grandfather's letters home states that his draft is on its way to join the regiment in South A.
In addition to 2 spares of boots for their own use, each member of the draft has 2 spares of boots for the troops already out there.
Also each member of his draft have 20 new helmet plates packed in their kit, so the boys already out there will look just as smart as the new draft.
Being ex regular army myself, this amuses me. It shows that the army never changes. The spare boots are an obvious necessity ( if very heavy in your back pack ). But as to the helmet plates! Well they say bullshit baffles brains, don't they?
No wonder the Zulus won - they were on a different wavelength.
Incidentally, I met Kenneth Griffith at the Conway pub near Severn Grove in the 1970s. It was a Free Wales Army ( Welsh Nationalist ) Pub in those days. I was a serving soldier at the time. I went there to home-up on my Welsh, which was very useful on my signallers course. As well as down a few pints! But that's another story "


I have tried to reproduce Bill's letter accurately, but any spelling mistakes are mine!!

David Learthart
Back to top Go down
Frank Allewell

Frank Allewell


Posts : 8572
Join date : 2009-09-21
Age : 77
Location : Cape Town South Africa

A Letter from Bill Larcombe Empty
PostSubject: Re: A Letter from Bill Larcombe   A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Aug 28, 2013 4:43 pm

David Thank you for posting that.
I have no doubt what so ever that this will generate a plethora of facts from our resident researchers in addition to the Kenneth Griffith fans.


Regards
Back to top Go down
Guest
Guest




A Letter from Bill Larcombe Empty
PostSubject: Re: A Letter from Bill Larcombe   A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Aug 28, 2013 4:45 pm

David, what a fantastic letter,that was very good
of you to share such a mine of information. this
will be of interest to many.
cheers xhosa2000
Back to top Go down
Guest
Guest




A Letter from Bill Larcombe Empty
PostSubject: Re: A Letter from Bill Larcombe   A Letter from Bill Larcombe EmptyWed Aug 28, 2013 4:46 pm

Thats right springbok, you beat me to the punch
cheers mate xhosa2000
Back to top Go down
 
A Letter from Bill Larcombe
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» Saw Bill Cainan On Tv In The Museum !
» Lord William Leslie de la Poer Beresford VC KCIE (20 July 1847 - 30 December 1900
» Bill Cainan ( New Member)

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
WWW.1879ZULUWAR.COM  :: GENERAL DISCUSSION AREA-
Jump to: